Aba residents reject electricity tariff increase

Electricity consumers in Aba, under the aegis of Aba Electricity Consumers Forum (AECF), are demanding for downward review of the newly-approved electricity tariff for Aba, by the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

They rejected the new electricity tariff, describing it as unacceptable and might lead to the collapse of many small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in the commercial city

They argued that if the the new tariff regime is implemented that some residential consumers in Aba, will be paying about ₦100,000 per month for electricity.

“With what NERC has done, our electricity bill in Aba is now higher than our house rents. Do they think that we get money from trees?

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“They just want to shut down this city and we’ll not allow it. It’s better they either correct this or disconnect the whole of Aba, so that the Governor will understand what we’re passing through”, he said.

The Forum further said that their rejection was premised on NERC’s classification of electricity customers into five bands of A, B, C, D, and E.

According to NERC’s classification, Band-A customers should have a minimum of 20-hours power supply and above per day, while Band-B customers are to enjoy 16 hours electricity supply and above per day, a tariff they said APLE is already complying with without giving the needed supply.

They said that Band-A and Band-B are two big mirage that do not exist in the Aba Ring Fence. This is as they also claimed that Band-C that was designed to have 12-hours power supply does not even exist in the Aba Ring Fence, as no customer can boast of enjoying electricity supply as stated in Bands A, B and C.

The Forum argued that electricity consumers in Aba, were not consulted, as stakeholders, prior to the purported Tariff Rate Review, which is a breach of consumers’ right, by NERC.

“Even God in the garden of Eden heard from all parties before pronouncement of judgement. So, it’s unacceptable that NERC will increase tariff, talking about bands that do not exist in Aba”, he added.

The Aba consumers further argued that the tariff rate review was outrageous and unaffordable and would not be commensurate with electricity consumed as it had been the case.

They pleaded with NERC to hear their heart beat, as they would pay their electricity bills based on tariff rate as at December 2024 consumption, awaiting NERC’s response to their complaints.

The Forum urged NERC to ensure that Aba Power Limited Electrical, does not engage in self help mechanism to enforce the rejected tarrif until their complaint to NERC is looked into.

The residents, however, said that they heeded to the advice of the Joint Action Group (JAG) on electricity, not take laws into their hands, but channel their grievances through the proper channel of the NERC Forum.

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They said they would not resort to violence on the matter, but would never accept to pay bills for power not consumed, stressing that since 2022 that APLE took over that they had been paying for darkness instead of light.

Ike Opigwe, Leader of the Joint Action Group, who was present at the meeting, thanked the industrialists, residents and other stakeholders for choosing the right and lawful path, as the means of channeling their grievances.

“There should be no protest of any kind. We don’t have any problem with the Disco called APLE, our problem is with the new tariff, introduced by NERC. So, I’m glad that you chose the dialogue angle to express your anger.

“I believe that Aba Landlords Association, and so many groups represented here today, will take up the matter from here, because the situation is getting out of hand. So, remain peaceful and let’s make a change without violence”, he noted.

Opigwe said that the administration of Governor Alex Otti is doing his best to reposition the State, especially Aba, and urged the people to appreciate the Governor’s good works, by showing a change in method of reacting to grievances.